Support structure for shelving



May 5,, 1970 G. J. PLEMENG SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR SHELVING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 17. 1968 INVENTOR 56 GOZDO/V J PME/VG May 5, 1970 cs. J. PLEMENG SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR SHELVING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 17, 1968 0 u mm 0 w 7 awa WA WW 6 r Ll INVENTOR eoew/v J PE/W/VG 3,509,669 SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR SHELVING Gordon J. Plemeng, Burbank, Calif., assignor to Angeles Metal Trim C0., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Apr. 17, 1968, Ser. No. 730,213 Int. Cl. A47g 29/02; E04c 3/30 US. C]. 52-36 16 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention includes a vertical metal stud structure having two channeled metal stud members arranged usually back-to-back and having at one of their edges, at least, oppositely disposed integral flanges providing opposed narrow channels slidably receiving a longitudinally adjustable bar slotted to receive shelf brackets. The bar fixedly carries thereon longitudinally disposed spaced stabilizing flanges between which the shelf brackets are to project from the slotted bar to steady the brackets against lateral sway and against which spaced flanges the edges of attached wall boards abut. According to this improve- United States Patent O ment, corresponding ends of the respective bar and its spaced flanges are cut off substantially flush, and an anchor clip, for at least one end of the bar, which is slidable in the longitudinal space between the stud flanges has a positioning tongue or stem which slidably projects into such space. Such tongue has a tongue-extension or key to project along such space behind said slotted bar and engage in a slot thereof to anchor the bar to the stud. The clip has flange means (which may be in the form of short opposed flanges) to be anchored as by means of welding, or preferably by self-threading screws extending through such flange means of the clip and the opposed flanges of the stud structure, to anchor the bar and its flanges against sliding displacement verticallyalong the upstanding stud.

This invention relates to metallic wall stud structures for interior walls of department stores and the like to receive and support brackets for merchandise-carrying shelves.

BACKGROUND So far as is known, the principal prior art here concerned is produced by Angeles Metal Trim Company of Los Angeles, Calif.

The advantage hereof is found in the avoidance of the necessity of using anchor screws employed in that structure and extending through a slotted bar similar to the instant for, and in the employment of positioning flanges substantially throughout the length of the slotted bar as means to stabilize the shelf brackets and provide abutments for wallboard slabs, while at the same time making it possible to have both the ends of such flanges and the ends of the slotted bar terminate at the same points along the stud assembly and yet be anchored to the stud assembly by suitable clips. The present anchoring clips are not employed in the mentioned art.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The invention in general resides in the means and procedure for arranging and mounting the slotted slidable bar in and on its wall stud structure, with the ends of each slotted bar and its outstanding pair of stabilizing flanges substantially flush at their ends, and an elongated clip structure located at at least one of said flush end portions and having a longitudinally extending tongue portion or key projecting beyond the clip proper and running along a vertical space in the stud structure to engage in a slot in the respective bar and near the end of such respective bar, an outer portion of the clip proper having flanges to be ice anchored, as by self-threading screws, to flanges of the respective stud.

A principal object is to provide in a metal stud structure a shelf-bracket supporting structure which is easily installable, which will support heavier shear loads than structures used heretofore, and which will be easier to handle in the plant or on the job.

The presently preferred form of the invention is disclosed in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view indicating a positioning clip associated with a slotted holding bar in operating position, portions being broken away to show better the relationship of the parts;

FIG. 1A is an elevation of a complete shelf bracket;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective of the slotted bar structure to be positioned;

FIG. 3 is a view partially in plan and partially in crosssection indicated by the section line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a vertical view, principally in elevation, as indicated by lines 4-4 of FIGS. 1, 5 and 6, and indicating the clip in broken lines in operating position, as well as indicating in full lines a step in its installation;

FIG. 5 is principally a cross-section taken at the line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a similar view taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view indicating the relationship of the clip and the slotted bar structure and also representing a step in installation.

In the drawings, a wall stud assembly 10 is shown in operative position in a partitioned wall in which conventional wallboard slabs B are employed to provide wall surfaces, with these slabs spaced somewhat apart horizontally to pass shelf-supporting brackets. These wallboard members are generally well known in the trade and may be plasterboard slabs, fiberboard slabs, and the like.

Each metallic wall stud assembly 10 is built up from a pair of channeled metal wall stud members generally indicated at 12 and each member 12 is designed and sized to replace a standard two-by-four dressed Wooden member. Each metallic member 12 embodies a main web or wall 14 which, as illustrated, is arranged zback-to-back with respect to the corresponding main web 14 of the other stud member of the pair. To facilitate assemblying of the pair of stud members 12 to produce the stud unit, each main web 14 is provided longitudinally along its median line with a vertical groove or rib 15, the two ribs being nested as indicated especially in FIGS. 5 and 6 which are combined for the purpose of facilitating the showing. Rigidity of this connection may be insured as by means of spot weldings or off-set tongues as indicated at 16 in FIGS. 1, 5 and 6.

The outer or edge portion of each side of each channeled metal stud 12 is in the form of an integral folded flange generally indicated at 20 which is reversely folded on itself to provide a partially enclosed shallow longitudinal channel 22. Such a construction is readily producible from steel sheeting having such thickness as 0.022 inch. Thus, there is produced by the two opposing U- shaped channels 22 a relatively wide slot or runway in which there is located, by means presently to be described, an elongated slotted bar 24 which preferably is flat as illustrated in the various figures. This bar 24 is provided along its median vertical axis with regularly or equally distantly spaced slots 25 for the installation of shelf brackets and the anchoring means in the clips as presently to be explained. These bars are conveniently formed from elongated steel stock of around inch or A; inch in thickness and have considerable load supporting ability adequate for the purposes here required.

In further description of the formation of the channel 22, reference is made to FIGS. 5 and 6. Each of the folded flanges includes a rearwardly disposed transversely extending wall 26 which is conveniently integral with the main web or backwall 14 of the respective stud member 12. The outward edge portion of each transverse wall 26 is integrally joined with the corresponding connecting edge wall 28 which lies at the outer edge of the bar 24 and extends forward toward the edge of the respective stud member 12 in a direction parallel to the main web 14 sufficiently to form and to provide the required thickness or depth of the channel 22 for reception of the bar 24. Such outer edge of each of the connecting walls 28 is then directed inwardly to produce a re-entrant double wall 30 which is then folded back on itself and directed outwardly thereby forming a tight reverse bend or fold 32. The double wall 30 is then extended outward to form a laterally disposed flange portion 33 that lies beyond the channel forming portion and beyond the short edge wall 28. The outer end of this flange portion 33 in each instance is desirably provided with an integral inwardly turned terminal stub flange 34 which, in general, parallels the edge wall 28 and the positioning and stabilizing bar 24. The inward extremity of such stub flange 34 may in each instance be provided with a reversely turned finishing flange element 35.

The tight reverse bends 32 of the re-entrant double wall 30 of the two stud elements 12 are spaced from each other opposite the slots 25 of the bar 24 to provide an elongated entrance slot 36 for access to the slots 25 by shelf brackets and mounting clips as now to be described.

This means 36 of access to the slots 25 serves two purposes. One purpose is to provide for the mounting of anchoring clips 38 as probably best illustrated in FIG. 7, which are employed to anchor a positioning bar 24 in desired adjusted position. The other purpose is to permit the installation of inner ends of shelf supporting brackets 40 as indicated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 1A. The inner or rearward end of bracket 40, which is to be tipped to an angular position for installation, is insertazble in any one of the slots 25 of the positioning bar 24 and may include both an upper terminal retention tongue 42 to engage behind the rear wall of the bar 24 below the respective slot 25 and also a lower retention tongue 43 that engages behind the rear wall of the bar below the respective slot 25 when a bracket 40 settles into operative position.

In order to accommodate this inner tongue section of the bracket 40 when installed in its operative position, lateral portions of the main webs or backwalls 14 of the two stud members 12 are desirably spaced in a relationship to receive such inner end portions of the bracket 40 and thereby limit or prevent swinging movement of the outer end of the respective bracket 40. This is accomplished by providing an inner wall portion 45 of each main web 14 in spaced relation to the corresponding wall portion 45 of the other web member 14 so as to yield a vertical pocket 46 to receive the inner end of each of the various brackets 40 employed. These wall portions 45 are integral with the respective main webs 14 and transverse walls 26. By causing sloping wall portions 48, of greater or lesser width between the main webs 14 and the offset wall portion 45, to be somewhat angularly disposed as indicated, the resultant neat fit helps to avoid sway of the outer ends of the brackets 40.

However, an important feature of the present improvement resides in the employment of the clips 38 which are in general T-shaped in two respects, i.e., in end view and in fact view, as indicated especially in FIG. 7, and also indicated in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 collectively. Thus, they appear to be of T-shape when viewed along a vertical axis and also when viewed along a certain horizontal axis. Also important in this respect is the employment on the slotted bar 24 of a stablizing angle bar 50 at each side of the row of slots 25 in the bar 24. These angle bars 50 include outstanding longitudinally extending flange blades or plates 52 (FIG. 2) integrally connected with transversely disposed integrally connected elongated attachment plates or changes 54 rigidly attached as by means of spot welds 55 to corresponding outer faces of the slotted bar 24. Desirably, the edges of the plate members 54 are rearwardly directed around the edge portions of the slotted bar 24 as indicated at 56 to facilitate both stability and manufacture, which, of course, adds somewhat to the effective width of the slotted bar 24.

The important aspects of the angle bar stabilizer 50 are to:

l--Stabilize the shelf brackets 40 against lateral sway at their outer shelf-supporting ends; and

2-To provide good abutment walls for the adjacent wallboards B whereby to protect such wallboard edges.

With respect to use of the slotted positioning bars 24 and their stabilizing angle iron flange members 50', it is necessary that these bars with their stabilizers 50', which are also reinforcements, be adjustable vertically along the stud assemblies 10 within the carrying channels 22, especially in order that the slots 25 may be vertically adjusted accurately with respect to the various stud assemblies 10 in order that shelf brackets 40 and their shelves may be adjusted vertically to position the shelves in exactly level relationships. It is possible (if required) to have the ends of each bar 24, or at least one end thereof, extend somewhat beyond respective ends of the angle iron stabilizers 50, and then to employ clips 38 to enter slots 25 of such bars, which slots are thereby exposed, these clips being then secured to the aforementioned flange portions of the stud members 12. However, it is more feasible, as has been found in practice, to have ends of the assembled slotted bars 24 and their stabilizing angle iron members 50 arranged so that at an end of a bar 24 and the adjacent respective ends of the stabilizers 50 be out exactly flush with one another as shown at the top of FIG. 1. This facilitates manufacture and assembly to the extent that much of the preparatory work may be done in the factory, or, if ends must be cut to adjust them to the job in hand, they can be more conveniently cut flush on the job as by sawing or by employment of other appropriate metal cutters. Also, such a construction supports much heavier shear loads on walls so constructed, in addition to facilitating manufacture and assembly in the plant and facilitating construction and assembly on the job.

Consequently, in accordance with this improvement, at least one end of each slotted bar 24 and its angle iron stabilizers 50 attached thereto are terminated at positions which are substantially flush with one another. Assembly of such a slotted bar arrangement upon an upstanding wall stud structure 12 in channels 22, where flange members 26, 32 and 33 are employed, requires employment of a special clip structure 38 that can be attached to a slotted bar 24 of the described arrangement whereby the bar 24 may be set in any adjusted predetermined location and then accurately anchored in such adjusted position by any suitable or convenient means such as the use of self-threading screws, spot welding, or the like.

Consequently, the clip 38 of this improvement includes two interconnected portions 60 and 62, especially as indicated in FIG. 7. This clip as a whole is T-shaped, the portion 60 constituting the head of the T and the portion 62 being integrally connected by an intervening portion 64 to provide the stem or tongue of the T. This clip 38 is formed metal of substantially the same gauge and quality as the stud members 12, such as gauge cold rolled steel, or about 0.0478 inch in thickness, or may be even somewhat heavier and be approximately of the gauge of the elements 50.

The head portion of the T-clip 38 is provided with two relatively narrow laterally disposed wings 65 which are thus arranged at right angles to the stem provided by the parts 62 and 64 and a stern extension 66, such wings 65 being disposed in substantially the same plane. These wings 65 when positioned in operative relation lie in front of major portions of the adjacent parts of the flange members 33 at the edges of the respective stud members 12, and their extreme edge portions will lie beyond the wall portions 28 of the elongated channels 22. When thus properly positioned in operative relationship, they are rigidly affixed to the stud flanges 33 by means of selfthreading screws 68 which, if desired, may first be passed through two holes 69, as indicated in FIGS. 5 and 7.

As also probably best seen in FIG. 7, the stern of the T-structure clip 38 is in the form of the connected parts 62, 64, and 66 which extend longitudinally beyond the head portion 60 and the wings 65. As seen especially in FIGS. 4 and 7, the stem structure 62, 64 and 66 is incut at its middle section as indicated at 70 so as to yield at its extremity opposite from the head 60 a comparatively shallow tongue member or key 72.

For convenience of construction and installation, the length of the key member 72, the length of the incut portion 70, and the longitudinal dimension of wing 65 and the portion 66 of the stem beyond the incut 70, are equal. Conveniently, this dimension may be in each instance one inch. In addition, the slots 25 in the bar 24 are also one inch long and they are spaced one inch apart. Thus, the tongue or key 72 will neatly enter a slot 25 and the incut 70 will neatly accommodatethe space in the bar 24 between two slots. Again, if necessary, the stem portion 66 might be caused to enter into a slot 25 after the key portion 72 and the section 64 have been passed through such slot 25.

However, in the usual practice for the present purpose, the key 72 will commonly be passed into a slot 25 somewhat closer to the end of a stabilizer 50 than a slot length or the length of the incut 70. Thus, with an assembled bar unit 24 partly installed in the end of stud unit 12, the key 72 may be introduced into the respective slot 25 below the end fthe slotted bar 24 in a direction indicated by the arrow 73 at the lower end of FIG. 7. This will bring the wings 65 into a position such that when the slotted bar 24 and the clip 38 are pushed longitudinally into the flange portion of the stud assembly 12, the folded portions of the stem 62, 64 and 66 will be disposed longitudinally in the channel 46 behind the slotted bar 24 and the wings 65 will lie in front of the flange portion 33 of the stud member 12 and above the end of the slotted bar 24 so that, when the exact vertical position of slots 25 to accommodate the brackets 40 is established, the anchor screws 68 may be installed by a suitable self-threading gun, or the like, to maintain the parts fixed in the broken line position indicated in FIG. 4. Similarly, wall boards B may be secured to stud flanges 33 by longer screws 74 as in FIGS. 1, 3 and 6.

It is also feasible to introduce the clip 38 into operating position in the slotted bar 24 at a location an appreciable distance down along the stud assembly 12 as illustrated in FIG. 4, rather than approximately at the end of the stud as indicated in FIG. 1. For this purpose, the wall portions 14 below the pocket 46 may be spread somewhat as indicated in FIG. at 75. With this particular arrangement, if necessary for the corner portion 76 of the stem end 62 during installation to be projected below the pocket 46 indicated in FIG. 4, the spreading of the wall portions 14 at 75 will permit such corner portion 76 to enter the spread area 75 at that time as shown.

I claim:

1. A wall stud assembly including:

a pair of elongated upstanding channeled stud members having main webs disposed in opposed substantially parallel relation, each web carrying a vertical outward flange portion, such flange portions providing opposed spaced substantially parallel vertical edge portions of said stud member;

said flange portions having therein opposed elongated shallow vertical channels extending longitudinally of said stud members to receive adjustably therein slotted supporting bar means;

vertical inward portions of said opposed webs being spaced and providing between them an inner elongated vertical passage behind the spacing between said vertical edge portions;

means rigidly connecting said stud members in said parallel relation;

an elongated slotted bar positioned in said vertical channels in said flange portions and adjustable therein and having slot means communicating with said inner vertical passage between said webs and with the spacing between said vertical edge portions for reception and positioning of inner ends of shelf brackets; and

anchoring means in the form of a clip which is in part T-shaped, the head of the T having flat flanges for engaging said outward flange portions, the stem of the T being insertable into said vertical passage and including a key portion movable along such passage with the key portion spaced vertically from the T- head and engaging in anchoring relation within an adjacent slot near the end of said slotted bar, said flanges of the T-head including means secured to at least one of said stud members thereby anchoring the elongated slotted bar to the stud members.

2. A wall stud assembly as in claim 1 wherein said key comprises an ofiset portion which may be inserted in said slot near the end of said bar means and said clip and bar means slide along said vertical channels and vertical passage for fixing said T-head to said web flange portions and anchoring the bar in position.

3. A wall stud assembly as in claim 1 wherein said vertical passage is sufiiciently deep to receive said key portion in tipped relation with respect to said web flange portions and under said slotted bar and to allow the clip to be moved into parallel relation under said bar to receive said key in anchoring position in said slot near said bar end.

4. An assembly as in claim 1 wherein said slotted bar carries outstanding stabilizing flanges at opposite sides of the slots therein.

5. An assembly as in claim 4 wherein an end of said slotted bar and the adjacent ends of said stabilizing flanges terminate in positions substantially flush with one another.

6. An elongated slotted bar assembly for stud struc tures including:

an elongated bar having a row of slots for receiving shelf brackets;

an elongated stabilizing flange extending along said bar at each side of said row of slots, said flanges being spaced to admit shelf brackets to said slots and stabilize said brackets;

and a clip for connection to said slotted bar to fix the latter to a metal stud, said clip including a T-shaped portion providing a T-head and providing a stem having a longitudinally extending portion vertically spaced from a slot in said slotted bar and lying behind the slotted bar along the axis thereof and having a key portion entering into said slot in said slotted hat to anchor the latter to said stud.

7. An assembly as in claim 6 wherein at least one end of said bar and the adjacent ends of said stabilizing flanges thereon terminate in positions substantially flush with one another.

8. A wall stud assembly including:

a pair of elongated upstanding channeled stud members having main webs disposed in opposed substantially parallel relation, each web carrying at each side a vertical outward flange portion, such flange portions providing opposed spaced substantially parallel vertical edge portions of said stud members;

said flange portions at each side of said stud members having therein opposed elongated shallow vertical channels extending longitudinally of said stud meml'aers to receive adjustably therein slotted supporting ars;

vertical inward portions of said opposed Webs being spaced and providing between them inner elongated vertical passages behind the spacings between said vertical edge portions;

means rigidly connecting said stud members in said parallel relation;

elongated slotted bars positioned in said vertical channels in said flange portions and adjustable therein and having slot means communicating with said inner vertical passages between said webs and with the spacings between said vertical edge portions for reception and positioning of inner ends of shelf brackets;

anchoring means for each slotted bar in the form of a clip which is in part T-shaped, the head of the T having flat flanges for engaging said outward flange portions of said webs, the stem of each T being insertable into the respective vertical passage and including a key portion movable along such passage with the key portion spaced vertically from each T- head and, engaging in anchoring relation within an adjacent slot near the end of the respective slotted bar to anchor the bar, said flanges of the respective T-head including means secured to at least one of said stud members thereby anchoring the elongated slotted bar to at least one of said stud members.

9. A stud assembly as in claim -8 wherein said webs are secured together back-to-back.

10. A wall stud assembly as in claim 8 wherein each key comprises an ofiset portion which may be inserted into a slot near the end of the respective bar means and said clip and bar means slide along said vertical channels and vertical passage for fixing said T-head to said web flange portions and anchoring the bar in position.

11. A wall stud assembly as in claim 8 wherein said vertical passage is sufliciently deep to receive said key portion in tipped relation with respect to said web flange portions and under said slotted bar and to allow the clip to be moved into parallel relation under said bar to receive said key in anchoring position in said slot near said bar end.

12. An assembly as in claim 8 wherein said slotted bar carries outstanding stabilizing flanges at opposite sides of the slots therein.

13. An assembly as in claim 8 wherein an end of said slotted bar and the adjacent ends of said stabilizing flanges terminate in positions substantially flush with one another.

14. An elongated slotted bar assembly for stud structures including:

an elongated bar having a row of slots for receiving shelf brackets;

elongated stabilizing flanges extending along said bar at the respective sides of said row of slots, said flanges being spaced to admit shelf brackets to said slots to stabilize said brackets; and

a clip for connection to said slotted bar to fix the latter to a metal stud, said clip including a T-shaped portion providing a T-head secured to a stud above an end portion of the slotted bar and providing a stem having a longitudinally extending portion lying behind said end portion of said slotted bar, said extending portion having a key entering a slot in said slotted bar below said end of said slotted bar and, anchoring the latter to said stud.

15. An elongated slotted bar assembly for stud structures including:

an elongated bar having a row of slots for receiving shelf brackets;

an elongated stabilizing flange extending along said bar at each side of said row of slots, said flanges being spaced to admit shelf brackets to said slots and stabilize said brackets; and

a clip for connection to said slotted bar to fix the latter to a stud, said clip including a T-shaped portion providing a T-head and providing a stem having a longitudinally extending portion and a key portion with said T-head separated from said key portion by a notch in said stem.

16. A wall stud assembly including:

a pair of elongated upstanding channeled stud members having main webs disposed in opposed substantially parallel relation, each web carrying a vertical out- Ward flange portion, suchflange portions providing opposed spaced substantially parallel vertical edge portions of said stud member;

said flange portions having therein opposed elongated shallow vertical channels extending longitudinally of said stud members to receive adjustably therein slotted supporting bar means;

vertical inward portions of said opposed webs being spaced and providing between them an inner elongated vertical passage behind the spacing between said vertical edge portions;

means rigidly connecting said stud members in said parallel relation;

an elongated slotted bar positioned in said vertical channels in said flange portions and adjustable therein and having slot means communicating with said inner vertical passage between said. webs and with spacing between said vertical edge portions for reception and positioning of inner ends of shelf brackets; and

anchoring means in the form of a clip which is in part T-shaped, the T-shaped portion providing a T- head and providing a stem having a longitudinally extending portion projecting downwardly from the T- head and lying in said vertical passage and having a key portion projecting at right angles from the downward end of said longitudinally extending portion with said key portion being engaging with an adjacent slot.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,169,254 8/1939 Kotrbaty 52-481 X 2,998,107 8/1961 Zimmerla 52-36 3,174,592 3/1965 Berman et al. 52--36 X 3,186,527 6/1965 Konstant et al. 248-243 X 3,305,981 2/1967 Biggs et al. 5236 3,394,507 7/1968 Doke 5236 3,407,547 10/196'8 Doke et a1. 5236 FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner S. D. BURKE III, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 5248 1, 499, 729 

